MALIBU, Calif. — Jon Moscot was in control the whole way. The right-handed junior pitched a complete game gem for Pepperdine and the Waves (9-4) took the series opener 2-1 against Rhode Island Friday afternoon at Eddy D. Field Stadium.
Moscot mowed through the URI (4-6) lineup with nine strikeouts. He allowed only one unearned run on five hits and one walk. The 6-foot-4, 200 pounder said his ability to get his breaking ball over for a strike enabled him to mix his pitches better and keep Rhode Island’s hitters off balance.
There was never any doubt that Moscot was going to finish the game himself. When asked by his coach if he felt good between the eighth and ninth innings, Moscot said he responded, “Hell yeah. I’m ready to go.”
“Every opportunity I have to close a game, I want to finish it,” he said.
The Waves took an early lead when Sam Meyer singled home Bryan Langlois in the second inning. But the Rams got the run back in their next at bat. Leadoff hitter Jeff Roy laid down a bunt that Moscot fired wide of first base. With the ball rolling down the right field line, Roy advanced all the way to third base where he would later come across on a Jeff Cammans RBI groundout.
Neither team showed much offensive life, but Pepperdine was able to manufacture the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. Matt Gelalich led off with a single, followed by a Joe Sever walk. Langlois advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt and Aaron Brown’s groundout to second base enabled Gelalich to score the game-winning run.
Both teams had five hits with Roy being the only player to record a multi-hit game. Gelalich and Meyer both reached base twice. Chris Pickering took the loss for Rhode Island to fall to 1-3 this year.
Check out the full photo gallery from the Pepperdine/Rhode Island Friday afternoon matchup below:
[scrollGallery id=21]
